Dear Member,
The union representing more than 8,500 CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) employees announced earlier today that the majority of its members have voted in favour of a strike mandate. This means that CBSA’s border services officers could undertake strike action as early as next week if current negotations between the union (the Public Service Alliance of Canada) and the federal government prove to be unsuccesful.
CBSA advises that 90 percent of its border services officers have been identified as essential, meaning that they will continue to provide service in the event a strike. Nevertheless, a work stoppage could slow down commercial traffic at the border and ports of entry due to increased border wait times, picketing outside CBSA premises and other strike-related measures.
The CBSA employees in question have been without a contract since June 2018 and include border services officers at airports, land entry points, marine ports and commercial ports of entry, as well as inland enforcement officers, intelligence officers, investigators, trade officers and non-uniformed members.
We are in contact with CBSA on this issue as members of the Agency’s Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC) and will be receiving updates as this situation develops. We are also working to provide CBSA was an overview of how a possible strike would impact the movement of international freight, with a view to identifying contingency measures as early in the process as possible. Members with any information or concerns they would like to share in this respect should contact the undersigned.
We will also be contacting the appropriate federal authorities to stress the importance of a speedy resolution to this labour dispute – given its potential impacts on a trade and transportation system that is already under considerable stress.
Sincerely,
Karen Kancens
Vice President